Fourth to j



(No Model.)

UNIGYGLE.

Patented Dec. 18, 1894 ZiIsBvdnHTQ/YImiskQ D m: rloqms mans w. mmumo. WASHINGTON, u c? (No Model.) 2' She ets Sheet 2,

P. H. ARMISTEAD.

UNIGYGLB.

- No. 531,086. Patented 1m.- 18, 1894.

\UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FABIAN H. ARMISTEAD, OF FARMVILLE, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- FOURTH TO J. R. SPENCER 'AND E. W. SPEED, OF HILL CITY, SOUTH DAKOTA. v

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SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 531,086, dated December 18, 1 894.

Application filed May "1, 1894.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FABIAN H. ARMISTEAD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Farmville, in the county'of Prince Edward and State of Virginia, have invented a new and useful Unicycle, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a unicycle, and has for its object to provide a simplified and improved construction for increasing the stability of the equilibrium of the rider and for communicating the motion of the crank-shaft to the rim with the least amount of resistance.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description, and thenovel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:-Figure 1 is a side view of a unicycle embodying my invention. Fig; 2 is a side view, partly broken away. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section showing theoperating mechanism in plan. Fig. 4 is a rearyiew of the framework detached. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the rock-shaft by which thebrakebar is journaled. Fig. 6 is a detail view of the lower end of the brake-bar showing the frictional surfaces.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of thedrawings. I I I V.

1 designates the rim, which is providedwith the interior V-shaped track 2, and 3 represents the central spindle concentric with the rim and divided to form opposite aligned parts 44, which are held in place by means of the spokes 5. These spokes are preferably bifurcated or forked at their outer ends to prevent lateral vibration and stiffen the structure.

The bearing-frame comprises a yoke 6 having parallel arms 7 provided at their. upper ends with bearings for the receptiou of the parts or members of the spindle, and these arms of the yoke are preferably extensible, the upper portions 8 thereof being connected to the lower or main portions of the arms by means of a slot and pin connection in which the slot is shown at 9 and the pin at 10. The frame proper, exclusive .of said yoke, is apcountershaft 25.

Serial No.510,350. (No model.)

carried by a shaft 17 mounted in bearings at the front end of the bearing frame :at the junction of the front and lower sides thereof, and upon the shaft of this driving-wheel is fixed a chain-wheel 18 connected bymeans of a chain 19 with an enlarged chain-wheel 20 which is fixed to the crank-shaft 21. This crank-shaft is provided at its ends with pedal cranks 22, and at a point between the opposite parallel plates forming the frame with a small chain-wheel 23 which is connected by means of a similar chain-wheel 24 fixed to a This countershaft is mounted in bearings in a rearwardly extending supplemental frame 26and is provided at its extremities with chain-wheels 27 which are connected by means of chains 28 with chainwheels 29 fixed to the spindle of the rim.

, From the above description it will be seen -that when the crank-shaft is rotated motion is communicated through .the, intermediate .sprocket wheels and chains ttothe shaft of the driving-wheel, thus causing the latterto ride upward upon the rim and thereby change the center ofgravity and throw it in advance of .the spindle of the rim and at the same time said rotationof the crank-shaft is communicated by'means of the intermediate con 'necting chains and wheels with the spindle of the rim to assist in driving the machine forward. The seat for the rider is arranged between the arms of the yoke forming a part of v the bearing-frame, whereby when the rider is in position the center of gravity of the entire structure, including the rider, is below the axis of the rim.

The means for braking and guiding or 5 steering the device consists of a brake-shoe 30 having a bearing-surface 31 to engage the inner edge of the V-shaped track orguide and having lateral bearing surfaces 32 to en gage the sides of said track or guide, the interval between said bearing-surfaces being greater than the width of the track or guide whereby either of the lateral bearing-surfaces, but not both, may be brought into contact. This shoe is carried by the stem 33, which is supported upon the framework at a suitable point by means of a universal joint 34, and is provided at its upper end with a handle-bar 35. This universal joint may be of any preferred construction, but a simple arran gement is by means of a transverse bar 36 swiveled at its extremities in the side plates of the frame and provided with alongitudinal slot 37 through which passes and in which is fulcrumed the stem, whereby the stem is capable of movement either vertically or laterally to bring the brake-surface 31 or the guiding shoes 32 into contact with the track or guide of the rim.

It willbe understood that in order to check or retard the forward movement of the machine the handle-bars are drawn upward and rearward or toward the rider in order to bring the central bearing surface 31 in contact with the apex of the V-shaped track or guide. To guide the machine to the right the handlebars are moved laterally to the right in order to bring the right hand lateral bearing surface 32 into contact with the right side of the track or guide; and in order to turn the machine in the opposite direction the handle-bar is moved to the left to bring the left hand guiding surface in contact with the left surface of the track or guide.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that the construction of the machine is compact and simple. The preponderance of weight is arranged below the axis of the rim, thus increasing the stability and making it easier for the rider to maintain the proper equilibrium, and the motion imparted to the crank-shaft is communicated directly to the driving-wheel, and at the same time to the spindle of the rim, whereby any desired speed may be attained.

The driving-wheel is preferably made of a diameter equal to one-fourth that of the rim, and the gear or chain-wheel which is carried by the crank-shaft and is connected by a chain to the chain-wheel on the driving-shaft has a diameter which is four times that of said chain-wheel on the driving-shaft, whereby one revolution of the crank-shaft produces one complete revolution of the rim, and therefore the chain-wheels whereby motion is communicated from the crank shaft to the spindle of the rim may be made of the same size throughout to cause an effective transmission of power without causing binding or cramping of the parts.

It will be seen, furthermore, that the entire weight of the driving mechanism and the rider is carried by the rim and is communicated thereto through the driving andguiding wheels, no weight being sustained by the spindle of the rim, thereby still further increasing the stability of the structure, and decreasing the friction of the moving parts.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

It will be seen, furthermore, that the propulsion of the machine is accomplished more by gravity applied to the portion of the rim in advance of its contact with the ground or surface over which the machine is passing, and that the arrangement of the pedals close to the lower side of the rim enables the rider to control the machine with greater case; also, inasmuch as the brake contacts with the rim in rear of the vertical plane of the seat, and hence in rear of the center of gravity of the rider and machine, the application of the brake throws the weight from the front to the rear, and thus serves to check the machine by transferring the center of gravity as well as by causing frictional contact with the rim.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a unicycle, the combination with a rim having a central divided spindle held in place by radial spokes, of a bearing frame having extensible arms fulcrumed upon the spindle of the rim, a driving wheel having its shaft mounted in said frame and bearing upon the inner periphery of the rim, a guidingwheel also mounted in the bearing-frame and bearing upon the inner periphery of the rim, a crank shaft provided with pedal cranks, and connections between the crank-shaft and the shaft of the driving-wheel, substantially as specified.

2. In a unicycle, the combination with a rim having a central divided spindle held in place by radial spokes, of a bearing frame having extensible arms fulcrumed upon said spindle upon opposite sides of the plane of the rim, a driving-wheel having its shaft mounted in bearings in the bearing-frame, a guiding-wheel mounted upon the bearingframe, a crank-shaft, connections between the crank-shaft and the shaft of the drivingwheel, and independent connections between the crank-shaft and the spindle of the rim, substantially as specified.

3. In a unicycle, the combination with a rim having a central divided spindle held in place by radial spokes, of a bearing-frame having extensible arms fulcrumed upon said spindle upon opposite sides of the plane of the rim, a driving-wheel having its shaft mounted in bearings in the bearing-frame, a guiding-wheel mounted upon the bearingframe, a crank-shaft, chain-wheels carried by the crank-shaft and the shaft of the drivingwheel, a chain connecting said chain-wheels, a countershaft having chain-wheels, chainwheels fixed to the spindle of the rim upon opposite sides of the plane of the rim, a chain connecting a chain-wheel upon the crankshaft with one of the chain-wheels upon the countershaft, and chains connecting other chain-Wheels upon the countershaft with said chain-wheels upon the spindle of the rim, substantially as specified.

4. In a unicycle, the combination with a rim having a central spindle, a bearing-frame fulcrumed upon said spindle, driving and guiding Wheels mountedupon the bearingiframe and bearing upon the inner periphery central spindle, of a bearing-frame fulcrumed upon said spindle and provided with extensible arms, driving and guiding wheels mounted upon the bearing-frame and bear- 2.5 ing upon the V-shaped track'or guide of the rim, means for imparting motion to the driving-wheel, and a braking and guiding mechanism comprising a shoe having a central and opposite lateral bearing surfaces, the central 3o bearing-surface being adapted to engage the apex of the V-shaped trackor guide, and the lateral bearing-surfaces being adapted to engage either side surface of said track or guide, and a stem carrying said shoe having a uni- 3 5 versal connection with the bearing-frame and provided with a handle-bar, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in 40 the presence of two witnesses.

FABIAN H. ARMISTEAD.

Witnesses:

' G. M. RoBEsoN,

A. W. DRUMELLS. 

